MEDAL PROSPECT: Leigh (third right) and David (left) with Sarawak Sukma squad at their daily training session at Sarawak Stadium yesterday.
KUCHING: The state’s Sukma football team is expected to do well in Sukma XV as the squad has done well in their training and warm-up matches so far.
According to head coach Mike Leigh the state Sukma team played very well during the playing tour throughout the state and in Perth, Australia last month.
“Although we have not set any specific target because the majority of the players are new, my assessment is based on their performances during the playing tour throughout the state.
“We won all the matches played against the local teams and in Perth, out of three matches we won one, lost one and drew one.
“The most interesting match was against Perth under 19, the boys were trailing 0-2 in the first half but fought back to draw level in the second half.
On Friday they defeated the much older Prison department team 6-0,” Leigh said after training at the State Stadium yesterday.
Leigh who is the West Ham Youth Football Development coach added that the squad would be in Miri from June 4 to 30 for the final training stage before leaving for Pahang on July 2.
Assistant coach David Usop commented that the squad comprised various ethnic groups in the state -Malay, Iban, Bidayuh, Bisaya,Lun Bawang and as most of them were below 19-year old they would be available for another two more Sukma and the president cup.
“The players are very disciplined and committed in training and I hope Football Association of Sarawak could hold on to the Sukma squad and develop them to play in the President Cup or Malaysia football league,” Usop added.
Usop disclosed that while all other state teams would be represented by their president cup teams, Sarawak would be represented by a squad set up specifically for Sukma XV.
“And from my assessment of yesterday’s president cup match between Sarawak and Pahang, the Sukma defending champion, I am optimistic that our Sukma squad would do well in Pahang,”he added.
In a related development, Usop said Sarawak football heading in the right direction as the youth football development programmes were handled by experienced coaches.
“Alan Vest is heading the MSNS Sarawak Football Development Programmes (SFDP)and Mike Leigh is coaching the Sukma team,” enthused Usop who has eight years experience coaching the state football team.